The 1945 British Columbia general election was the twenty-first general election in

the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on August 31,
1945, and held on October 25, 1945. The new legislature met for the first time on
February 21, 1946.

A centre-right coalition was formed by the Liberal and Conservative parties in

order to defeat the social democratic Co-operative Commonwealth Federation.

Although the Coalition won fewer votes than the Liberal and Conservative parties
won in total in the previous election, the Coalition still won over half of the
votes, and was able to form a majority government.

Results
Party Party leader # of
candidates Seats Popular vote
1941 Elected % Change # % % Change
Liberal Coalition1 John Hart 47 33 37 +12.1% 261,147
55.83% -8.02%
Progressive Conservative Royal Lethington Maitland
Co-operative Commonwealth fed. Harold Winch 48 14 10 -28.6%
175,960 37.62% +4.26%
Labour Tom Uphill 1 1 1 - 1,289 0.28% -1.29%
Labour Progressive 21 * - * 16,479 3.52% *
Social Credit (alliance)2 16 * - * 6,627 1.42% *
People's CCF 2 * - * 2,786 0.60% *
Independent3 2 - - - 1,532 0.33% -0.03%
Independent Progressive Conservative4 2 * - * 748 0.16%
*
Democratic 1 * - * 423 0.09% *
Socialist Labour 3 - - - 285 0.06% -0.09%
Independent Liberal 1 * - * 199 0.04% *
Independent Labour 1 * - * 106 0.02% *
Socialist 1 * - * 105 0.02% *
Progressive Liberal 1 * - * 61 0.01% *
Total 147 48 48 - 467,747 100%
Source: Elections BC
Notes:

* Party did not nominate candidates in the previous election.

1 Compared to Liberal + Conservative total from previous election

2 Various groups joined forces under the Social Credit name to contest the
election.

3 Thomas Dufferin Pattullo (Prince Rupert), former premier and Liberal Party
leader, ran as an Independent, and is included as such.

4 Includes L.H. MacQueen (Saanich), classified as an Independent PC since the

Progressive Conservative Party, formerly the Conservative Party, was officially
running as part of the Coalition and did not consider MacQueen as a legitimate
party candidate.

Popular vote
Coalition
 
55.83%
CCF
 
37.62%
Labour
 
0.28%
Others
 
6.27%
Seats summary
Coalition
 
77.08%
CCF
 
20.83%
Labour
 
2.08%
Results by riding
Results of British Columbia general election, 1945
Government Opposition
Member Riding
& party Riding
& party Member
James Mowat Alberni
Coalition Burnaby
Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. Ernest Edward Winch
William Duncan Smith Atlin
Coalition Cowichan-Newcastle
Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. Samuel Guthrie
Louis LeBourdais Cariboo
Coalition Fort George
Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. John McInnis
Leslie Harvey Eyres Chilliwack
Coalition Kaslo-Slocan
Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. Randolph Harding
Thomas King Columbia
Coalition Mackenzie
Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. Herbert Gargrave
Herbert John Welch Comox
Coalition Omineca
Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. Edward Fraser Rowland
Frank William Green Cranbrook
Coalition Peace River
Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. Joseph Hardcastle Corsbie
Alexander Campbell Hope Delta
Coalition Prince Rupert
Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. William Henry Brett
Roderick Charles MacDonald Dewdney
Coalition Vancouver East
Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. Arthur James Turner
Charles Taschereau Beard Esquimalt
Coalition Harold Edward Winch2
Thomas Alfred Love Grand Forks-Greenwood
Coalition Fernie
Labour (Independent) Tom Uphill
Robert Henry Carson Kamloops
Coalition
Ernest Crawford Carson Lillooet
Coalition
George Sharratt Pearson Nanaimo and the Islands
Coalition
Frank Putnam Nelson-Creston
Coalition
Byron Ingemar Johnson New Westminster
Coalition
Kenneth Cattanach MacDonald North Okanagan
Coalition
John Henry Cates North Vancouver
Coalition
Herbert Anscomb Oak Bay
Coalition
William James Johnson Revelstoke
Coalition
James Lockhart Webster Rossland-Trail
Coalition
Norman William Whittaker Saanich
Coalition
Arthur Brown Ritchie Salmon Arm
Coalition
Reginald Robert Laird Similkameen
Coalition
Edward Tourtellotte Kenney Skeena
Coalition
William Andrew Cecil Bennett South Okanagan
Coalition
Donald Cameron Brown Vancouver-Burrard
Coalition
George Moir Weir
Allan James MacDonell Vancouver Centre
Coalition
Gordon Sylvester Wismer
Royal Lethington Maitland Vancouver-Point Grey
Coalition
James Alexander Paton
Tilly Rolston
John Hart Victoria City
Coalition
Nancy Hodges
William Thomas Straith
John Joseph Alban Gillis Yale
Coalition
1 Premier-Elect and Incumbent
2 Leader of the Opposition
Source: Elections BC